Question Number: 31155

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 1/4/2017

Paul D'Imperio of Easton, Pa USA asks...

A defender strikes an opponent inside the penalty area while the ball is at midfield. What is the restart?

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Paul
if a player was silly enough to strike an opponent inside HIS own penalty area as a DFK offence it is upgraded to a PK no matter the ball might be at the other end of the field. As long as the play is live we take the restart from WHERE the infraction/foul occurs.

Of course if the player strikes the opponent in the opponents' own penalty area that is a DFK out and as such that ball must clear the PA before it is in play on the restart!

The DFK penal foul we call a strike is considered as a violent act if it occurs when there is no challenge for the ball. So in either case the perpetrator is likely shown the red card for VC and sent off reducing his team by a player!

Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Paul
Striking someone connected with the game that is an opponent, team-mate, substitute, substituted player, team official or a match official on the field of play while the ball is in play is a penal offence punished by a direct free kick or penalty kick.
As this offence was committed by a defender inside his own penalty area against an opponent the restart is a penalty kick. The defender is dismissed for violent conduct. The location of the ball is irrelevant to the decision.

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

Hi Paul,
The LOTG make no mention of whether a foul has to be on or off the ball. So the direct free kick offences do not change just because they're 'off the ball' - they're always taken from where the offence occurred (except the particular positioning laws in the Goal Area), so in this case a Penalty Kick.